SWORDID TALES: CHAPTER I: THE BEGINNING OF THE LEGEND

THE HISTORY OF STEEL

Manowar's Saga is one of those that cannot be described easily. A band that everyone who is into Metal music and knows about it has something to say. A band that always gave food for comments and controversial talking, always under the spotlight for anything they have done along the years of its existance.
But nobody can deny the fact that this American quartet represents the warrior spirit in Heavy Metal, a band with the most fanatic and loyal fans around the world, creating an Army of Immortals behind them.. This band never gave in to record companies or trends and never compromised its music for no one . They have kept on Fighting the World for over 3 decades and time vindicated their determination as they are still around in nowdays.
Manowar are a big infuence for many metal bands and the fathers of the term ''Epic Metal'' in Heavy music. Manowar's Sword and Sworcery image, the powerful music, the lyrical themes and Warrior album covers are the shrine of Epic Metal genre.
This is the History of Manowar, the Metal Kings!

MANOWAR BEFORE BATTLE HYMNS

Eric Adams and Joey De Maio 1978

''WE MET ON ENGLISH GROUND,IN A BACKSTAGE ROOM WE HEARD THE SOUND,

AND WE ALL KNEW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.''

Manowar's beginning was settled in the early 80's, when Joey De Maio who was working as a pyro-technician for Black Sabbath's road crew met Ross ''The Boss'' Friedman in 1980 at Newcastle,England who at the time was the axeman for Shakin' Street, a french hard rock band who was a support act on the legendary Black & Blue Tour '80, with Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult.
Ross Friedman was the one with the biggest experience in the music industry since he was already in Shakin Street and had toured around. Other things that Ross is involved except Manowar: Ross is the producer of Anthrax's Soldiers of Metal 12'' in 1983 and also has been member of Manitoba's Wild Kingdom in the early 90's,Heyday and others. Now he has his own band called simply Ross The Boss.

Joey De Maio and Eric Adams

French band Shakin Street with Ross on the right

Some notes from Joey De Maio: ''In the early days of the band we had to go out and actually steal food. Things were so bad that we didnt have food for 4 days in a row. But we were hungry for metal, we were starving for music, it was like a religion, it didnt matter..''

Joey De Maio with Ross The Boss backsatage 1980

Joey De Maio's previous music experience was with the mainman and guitarist of The Rods and also RJ Dio's cusin, David '''Rock'' Feinstein with the highly rare 7 inch rock vinyl ''Midnight Lady'' in 1978 where Joey was (what else?) the bass player... Many years later, Joey De Maio would released the 2004 album of David Feinstein through Manowar's record label Magic Circle Music.

David ''Rock'' Feinstein

Midnight Lady 7'' 1978

The other co-founder and still original member of the band, vocalist Eric Adams was part of an early teen band named the Kids who released a 7'' vinyl in 1965, with Eric Adams under the name ''Louis Marullo'' !!

The Voice of Metal (a.k.a. Eric Adams) and Joey De Maio were friends since childhood and were neighbors at the same time. A friendship that has lasted to nowdays...

Eric Adams

The Kids with vocalist Louis Marullo! 1965

In 1981,Manowar with Joey De Maio on bass, Eric Adams on vocals and Carl Cennedy (The Rods) on drums, along with Ross The Boss on guitar recorded in Auburn (their homeplace outside NYC) their first (and only) demo. This demo had only 2 songs which both are in different versions on their first Lp: Shellshock and Battle Hymn. The band presented the demo to record companies trying to sign a record contract but this wasnt an easy thing...

After the demo recordings, Carl Cennedy return to Feinstein's band and Manowar recruit Donnie Hamzik for drummer with whom they recorded their first opus Battle Hymns, the opening battle cry of their fight to the ascendance to the throne of Heavy Metal .
After this, Heavy Metal World will never be the same.
Battle Hymns would sound the call pretty soon...